Evaluating the role of DNA methyltransferases in trophoblast fusion and preeclampsia development: Insights from methylation-regulated genes.

The etiology of preeclampsia (PE), a complex and multifactorial condition, remains incompletely understood. DNA methylation, which is primarily regulated by three DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B, plays a vital role in early embryonic development and trophectoderm differentiation. Yet, how DNMTs modulate trophoblast fusion and PE development remains unclear. In this study, we found that the DNMTs expression was downregulated during trophoblast cells fusion. Downregulation of DNMTs was observed during the reconstruction of the denuded syncytiotrophoblast (STB) layer of placental explants. Additionally, overexpression of DNMTs inhibited trophoblast fusion. Conversely, treatment with the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-aza-CdR decreased the expression of DNMTs and promoted trophoblast fusion. A combined analysis of DNA methylation data and gene transcriptome data obtained from the primary cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) fusion process identified 104 potential methylation-regulated differentially expressed genes (MeDEGs) with upregulated expression due to DNA demethylation, including CD59, TNFAIP3, SDC1, and CDK6. The transcription regulation region (TRR) of TNFAIP3 showed a hypomethylation with induction of 5-aza-CdR, which facilitated CREB recruitment and thereby participated in regulating trophoblast fusion. More importantly, clinical correlation analysis of PE showed that the abnormal increase in DNMTs may be involved in the development of PE. This study identified placental DNA methylation-regulated genes that may contribute to PE, offering a novel perspective on the role of epigenetics in trophoblast fusion and its implication in PE development.

HMGB1 regulates autophagy of placental trophoblast through ERK signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) in placental development and fetal growth. METHODS: We employed the Cre-loxP recombination system to establish a placenta-specific HMGB1 knockout mouse model. Breeding HMGB1flox/flox mice with Elf5-Cre mice facilitated the knockout, leveraging Elf5 expression in extra-embryonic ectoderm, ectoplacental cone, and trophoblast giant cells at 12.5 days of embryonic development. The primary goal of this model was to elucidate the molecular mechanism of HMGB1 in placental development, assessing parameters such as placental weight, fetal weight, and bone development. Additionally, we utilized lentiviral interference and overexpression of HMGB1 in human trophoblast cells to further investigate HMGB1's functional role. RESULTS: Our findings indicate that HMGB1flox/floxElf5cre/+ mouse display fetal growth restriction (FGR), characterized by decreased placental and fetal weight and impaired bone development. And the absence of HMGB1 inhibits autophagosome formation, impairs lysosomal degradation, and disrupts autophagic flux. Depletion of HMGB1 in human trophoblast cells also suppresses cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion by inhibiting the ERK signaling pathway. Overexpression of HMGB1 observed the opposite phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: HMGB1 participates in the regulation of autophagy through the ERK signaling pathway and affects placental development.

Cation-Modified Poly(vinyl alcohol) Film to Optimize the Bistability of Transparent Electrophoretic Display Based on Charge Adsorption Behavior in Nonpolar Solvent.

Electrophoretic displays (EPDs) utilize the electrophoretic particles in electronic ink (e-ink) to display different color states with bistability. Bistability of EPDs is achieved by placing colloidal particles in a highly viscous solvent to keep the distribution of colloidal particles stable without sustaining the external field, so it only consumes power when updating the image. The feature of low power consumption makes it suitable for applications such as advertising boards, price tags, etc. Apart from these applications, recent research on lateral-driving EPDs extends its applications to smart windows, privacy control, and so on. However, achieving bistability by simply increasing the viscosity of solvent is inefficient in the case of lateral driving operation. Therefore, it is deserving to have intensive study on the mechanism of bistability from other aspects. Herein, we propose a mechanism to investigate the charge adsorption behavior on the electrode to affect the bistability of particles, which is based on the "Stern layer adsorption/desorption" model. Based on the above mechanism, we further fabricated a hexadecyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite film on the electrode to improve the bistability of lateral-driving EPD by reducing the diffusion current caused by unabsorbed charges. This developed lateral-driving EPD can significantly improve the bistability, which is enhanced from 40 s to 7 min, an increase by a factor of approximately 10. This work gives a way to consider the bistability of colloidal particles in nonpolar solvent.

NSD2 modulates Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission in chronic renal allograft interstitial fibrosis by methylating STAT1.

Renal interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy (IF/TA) is a prominent pathological feature of chronic allograft dysfunction (CAD). Our previous study has demonstrated that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a significant role in shaping the development of IF/TA. Nuclear SET domain (NSD2), a histone methyltransferase catalyzing methylation at lysine 36 of histone 3, is crucially involved in the development and progression of solid tumors. But its role in the development of renal allograft interstitial fibrosis has yet to be elucidated. Here, we characterize NSD2 as a crucial mediator in the mouse renal transplantation model in vivo and a model of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) stimulated-human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) in vitro. Functionally, NSD2 knockdown inhibits EMT, dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)-mediated mitochondrial fission in mice. Conversely, NSD2 overexpression exacerbates fibrosis-associated phenotypes and mitochondrial fission in tubular cells. Mechanistically, tubular NSD2 aggravated the Drp-1 mediated mitochondrial fission via STAT1/ERK/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in TNF-α-induced epithelial cell models. Momentously, mass spectrometry (MS) Analysis and site-directed mutagenesis assays revealed that NSD2 interacted with and induced Mono-methylation of STAT1 on K173, leading to its phosphorylation, IMB1-dependent nuclear translocation and subsequent influence on TNF-α-induced EMT and mitochondrial fission in NSD2-dependent manner. Collectively, these findings shed light on the mechanisms and suggest that targeting NSD2 could be a promising therapeutic approach to enhance tubular cell survival and alleviate interstitial fibrosis in renal allografts during CAD.

[Mechanism and compatibility efficacy of Astragali Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma drug pair in treating ischemic stroke based on network regulation].

Based on the association network of "drug pair-disease", the effect characteristics of Astragali Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma drug pair in the treatment of ischemic stroke(IS) with Qi deficiency and blood stasis and the matching mechanism of the two were explored. Through Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP) and SwissTargetPrediction Database, the effective chemical components of the drug pair were screened, and the candidate targets were predicted. Databa-ses such as GeneCards, DrugBank, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man(OMIM), and Therapeutic Target Database(TTD) were searched to obtain gene targets related to IS. Through STRING and Cytoscape 3.9.1 software, the protein-protein interaction(PPI) network was constructed by using the interaction information of disease syndrome-related genes and candidate targets of drug pairs, and the core targets were screened according to the network topological feature values. Based on the Metascape platform and DAVID database, the biomolecular interaction information was integrated to analyze the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) and mine biological functions, so as to further explore the mechanism of action and compatibility characteristics of Astragali Radix-Chuan-xiong Rhizoma. The results showed that the candidate biological process was mainly involved in the regulation of functional modules such as immune, blood circulation, neurotransmitter, and oxidative stress, and it was enriched in lipid and atherosclerosis, calcium signaling pathway, and platelet activation. Astragali Radix and Chuanxiong Rhizoma have their own characteristics. Astragali Radix has a regulatory response to growth factors while maintaining the body's immune balance, while Chuanxiong Rhizoma mainly improves the circulatory system and participates in hormone metabolism, so as to indicate the compatibility mechanism of Astragali Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma drug pair for multi-target and multi-pathway synergistic treatment of IS. Through further experimental verification, it was found that the Astragali Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma drug pair could significantly down-regulate the expression of key targets including TLR4, NF-κB, IL-1ß, F2R, PLCß1, and MYLK. This study preliminarily reveals that the Astragali Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma drug pair may play the three replenishing effects of promoting blood circulation, benefiting Qi, and clearing collaterals by correcting immune di-sorders, blood circulation disorders, and inflammation, which provide support for the clinical research on the subsequent improvement of Qi deficiency and blood stasis in the treatment of IS and provide a new idea for the analysis of modern biological connotation of the compatibility of seven emotions of traditional Chinese medicine.

[Mechanism of tetramethylpyrazine intervention with ischemia-reperfusion rats based on Nrf2/HO-1/CXCR4 pathway through regulating neural stem cell migration].

This study aims to decipher the mechanism of tetramethylpyrazine(TMP) in regulating the migration of neural stem cells(NSCs) in the rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) via the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/heme oxygenase 1(HO-1)/C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4(CXCR4) pathway. SD rats were randomized into sham, MCAO(model), and tetramethylpyrazine(TMP, 20 mg·kg~(-1) and 40 mg·kg~(-1)) groups. The neurological impairment was assessed by the modified neurological severity score(mNSS). The immunofluorescence assay was employed to detect the cells stained with both 5-bromodeoxyuridine(BrdU) and doublecortin(DCX) in the brain tissue. The effect of TMP on the migration of C17.2 cells was observed. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of Nrf2, HO-1, p62, NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1), stromal cell-derived factor 1(SDF-1), and CXCR4 in the brain tissue and C17.2 cells. The results showed that after 7 days and 21 days of mode-ling, the mNSS and BrdU~+/DCX~+ cells were increased, and the expression of Nrf2 and CXCR4 in the brain tissue was up-regulated. Compared with the model group, TMP(40 mg·kg~(-1)) reduced the mNSS, increased the number of BrdU~+/DCX~+ cells, and up-regulated the expression of Nrf2, CXCR4, and SDF-1. In addition, TMP promoted the migration of C17.2 cells and up-regulated the expression of p62, Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 in a time-and dose-dependent manner. The expression was the highest at the time point of 12 h in the TMP(50 µg·mL~(-1)) group(P<0.01). In conclusion, TMP activates the Nrf2/HO-1/CXCR4 pathway to promote the migration of NSCs to the ischemic area, thus exerting the therapeutic effect on the ischemia-reperfusion injury. This study provides experimental support for the application of TMP in ischemic stroke.

[Mechanism of tetramethylpyrazine combined with neural stem cells transplantation on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rats].

This study aimed to investigate the intervention effect of tetramethylpyrazine(TMP) combined with transplantation of neural stem cells(NSCs) on middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) rat model and to explore the mechanism of TMP combined with NSCs transplantation on ischemic stroke based on the regulation of stem cell biological behavior. MCAO rats were randomly divided into a model group, a TMP group, an NSCs transplantation group, and a TMP combined with NSCs transplantation group according to neurological function scores. A sham group was set up at the same time. The neurological function score was used to evaluate the improvement of neurological function in MCAO rats after TMP combined with NSCs transplantation. The proliferation, migration, and differentiation of NSCs were evaluated by BrdU, BrdU/DCX, BrdU/NeuN, and BrdU/GFAP immunofluorescence labeling. The protein expression of stromal cell-derived factor 1(SDF-1), C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4(CXCR4), as well as oxidative stress pathway proteins nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(KEAP1), heme oxygenase 1(HO-1), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1) was detected by Western blot to study the migration mechanism of TMP combined with NSCs. The results showed that TMP combined with NSCs transplantation significantly improved the neurological function score in MCAO rats. Immunofluorescence staining showed a significant increase in the number of BrdU~+, BrdU~+/DCX~+, BrdU~+/NeuN~+, and BrdU~+/GFAP~+ cells in the TMP, NSCs transplantation, and combined treatment groups, with the combined treatment group showing the most significant increase. Further Western blot analysis revealed significantly elevated expression of CXCR4 protein in the TMP, NSCs transplantation, and combined treatment groups, along with up-regulated protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1, and decreased KEAP1 protein expression. This study showed that both TMP and NSCs transplantation can promote the recovery of neurological function by promoting the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of NSCs, and the effect of TMP combined with NSCs transplantation is superior. The mechanism of action may be related to the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1/CXCR4 pathway.

[Optimization and verification of conditions for induction of neutrophil extracellular traps in vitro].

This study aims to optimize the conditions for the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs) in vitro, so as to establish a relatively stable experimental research platform. Different conditions were compared, including commonly used laboratory animals(rats and mice) and a variety of cell sources(bone marrow neutrophils and peripheral blood neutrophils separated by percoll density gradient centrifugation). Different inducers like lipopolysaccharide(LPS) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(PMA) were used for induction in vitro. Myeloperoxidase(MPO)/citrullinated histone H3(CitH3)/DAPI immunofluorescence and cell free DNA(cf-DNA) content determination were used for comprehensive evaluation to screen the optimal conditions for the formation of NETs induced in vitro. Furthermore, the stability of the selected conditions for inducing the formation of NETs in vitro was evaluated by tetramethylpyrazine(TMP), an active component in Chinese herbal medicines. The results showed that coated poly-D-lysine(PDL) induced the formation of NETs in bone marrow neutrophils of mice to a certain extent. Both LPS and PMA significantly up-regulated the protein levels of MPO and CitH3 in mouse bone marrow neutrophils and elevated the cfDNA level in the supernatant of rat peripheral blood neutrophils. The cfDNA level in the PMA-induced group increased more significantly than that in the LPS-induced group(P<0.05). The results of immunofluorescence staining showed that the expression of MPO and CitH3 in mouse bone marrow neutrophils, rat bone marrow neutrophils, and rat peripheral blood neutrophils were significantly increased after PMA induction, especially in rat peripheral blood neutrophils. TMP significantly down-regulated the protein levels of MPO, CitH3, and neutrophil elastase(NE) in rat peripheral blood neutrophils induced by PMA. In conclusion, treating the peripheral blood neutrophils of rats with PMA is the optimal condition for inducing the formation of NETs in vitro. This study provides an optimal platform for in vitro studies based on NETs and a basis for studying the effects of traditional Chinese medicines targeting NETs.

[Mechanism of bulleyaconitine A in inhibiting bone destruction of rheumatoid arthritis via Src/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway].

Based on the sarcoma receptor coactivator(Src)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt) signaling pathway, the mechanism of action of bulleyaconitine A in the treatment of bone destruction of experimental rheumatoid arthritis(RA) was explored. Firstly, key targets of RA bone destruction were collected through GeneCards, PharmGKB, and OMIM databa-ses. Potential targets of bulleyaconitine A were collected using SwissTargetPrediction and PharmMapper databases. Next, intersection targets were obtained by the Venny 2.1.0 platform. Protein-protein interaction(PPI) network and topology analysis were managed by utilizing the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.8.0. Then, Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted in the DAVID database. AutoDock Vina was applied to predict the molecular docking and binding ability of bulleyaconitine A with key targets. Finally, a receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB(RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation model was established in vitro. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of related targets, and immunofluorescence and Western blot were adopted to detect the protein expression level of key targets. It displayed that there was a total of 29 drug-disease targets, and Src was the core target of bulleyaconitine A in anti-RA bone destruction. Furthermore, KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that bulleyaconitine A may exert an anti-RA bone destruction effect by regulating the Src/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The molecular docking results showed that bulleyaconitine A had better bin-ding ability with Src, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-diphosphate 3-kinase(PIK3CA), and Akt1. The result of the experiment indicated that bulleyaconitine A not only dose-dependently inhibited the mRNA expression levels of osteoclast differentiation-related genes cathepsin K(CTSK) and matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9)(P<0.01), but also significantly reduced the expression of p-c-Src, PI3K, as well as p-Akt in vitro osteoclasts(P<0.01). In summary, bulleyaconitine A may inhibit RA bone destruction by regulating the Src/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. This study provides experimental support for the treatment of RA bone destruction with bulleyaconitine A and lays a foundation for the clinical application of bulleyaconitine A.

Circular RNA circARHGEF28 inhibited the progression of prostate cancer via the miR-671-5p/LGALS3BP/NF-κB axis.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play crucial roles in various biological processes, including prostate cancer (PCa). However, the precise roles and mechanism of circRNAs are complicated. Hence, we studied the function of a circRNA that might be involved in the progression of PCa. In this study, we found that circARHGEF28 was frequently downregulated in PCa tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, gain- and loss-of function experiments in vitro showed that circARHGEF28 inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of PCa. Additionally, circARHGEF28 suppressed PCa progression in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis and RNA pull-down and capture assay found that circARHGEF28 sponged miR-671-5p in PCa cells. Importantly, qRT-PCR and dual luciferase assays found that Lectin galactoside-binding soluble 3 binding protein (LGALS3BP) was downstream of miR-671-5p, and western blot analysis further confirmed that LGALS3BP negatively regulated the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway. These results demonstrated that circARHGEF28 abolished the degradation of LGALS3BP by sponging miR-671-5p, thus blocking the activation of the NF-κB pathway. Our findings revealed that circARHGEF28/miR-671-5p/LGALS3BP/NF-κB may be an important axis that regulates PCa progression.

Active matrix driven electrophoretic display with in-plane switching layout and driving waveform for reflective and transparent modes.

In-plane switching electrophoretic display (IPS-EPD) is an emerging field of display technology which achieves particles moving horizontally through a lateral electric field. Compared to vertically driven electrophoretic display (V-EPD), IPS-EPD exhibits the feasibility of transparent display function. However, most of the previous research was hindered by long response time, low optical transmittance, or complex structures. In this paper, we have proposed a newly developed electrode layout and driving waveform for IPS-EPD, achieving a device with fast response time of 0.32 s, high transmittance of 58.07%, good transmittance-contrast ratio of 11.25, and simple structure, which show a significant improvement over other related research. Additionally, we elucidated the physical mechanism for the device through developing a particles motion simulation. Finally, we presented a prototype of an IPS-EPD with TFT panel, which exhibits excellent performance in various application scenarios, making it a possible application prospect in mobile phone cases, glasses, windows, and so on.

Identification of a potential structure-based GPCR drug for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: in silico protein structure analysis and molecular docking.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: There is currently no effective treatment for interstitial cystitis / bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) and thus seriously reduces the quality of life of patients. The purpose of this study is to analyze the structure and function of G protein coupled receptors related to IC/BPS by integrating bioinformatics and provide basis for the development of new drugs for IC/BPS. METHODS: We used ProtParam and DNAMAN to analyze the physical and chemical properties of GPR18 and GPR183 proteins. The secondary and tertiary structure, conservative domain, phosphorylation site of both proteins were predicted by ProtScale, PredictProtein, SWISS-MODEL and GPS5.0 respectively. Multiple sequence alignment of the proteins were carried out by DNAMAN and the phylogenetic tree was constructed by MEGA. Further, the molecular docking verification of cannabidiol and both proteins were carried out by using AutoDock Vin. RESULTS: GPR18 and GPR183 proteins were composed of 331 and 361 amino acids respectively. α-helix is the highest in the secondary structure of the two proteins. Both proteins contain seven transmembrane domains specific to G protein coupled receptors. And homology analysis showed that the two proteins had high homology. In terms of molecular docking, cannabidiol, a non psychoactive component extracted from the cannabis, can form effective molecular binding with GPR18 and GPR183 proteins. CONCLUSIONS: We identified the structures of GPR18 and GPR183 proteins and their highly homologous evolutionary properties. Furthermore, both proteins can form effective binding with cannabidiol which provides new insights for the development of IC/BPS drugs by targeting G protein coupled receptors.

miR-181d-5p, which is upregulated in fetal growth restriction placentas, inhibits trophoblast fusion via CREBRF.

PURPOSE: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a common complication characterized by impaired placental function and unfavorable pregnancy outcomes. This study aims to elucidate the expression pattern of miR-181d-5p in FGR placentas and explore its effects on trophoblast fusion. METHODS: The expression pattern of miR-181d-5p in human FGR placentas were evaluated using qRT-PCR. Western blot, qRT-PCR, and Immunofluorescence analysis were performed in a Forskolin (FSK)-induced BeWo cell fusion model following the transfection of miR-181d-5p mimic or inhibitor. Potential target genes for miR-181d-5p were identified by screening miRNA databases. The interaction between miR-181d-5p and Luman/CREB3 Recruitment Factor (CREBRF) was determined through a luciferase assay. Moreover, the effect of CREBRF on BeWo cell fusion was examined under hypoxic conditions. RESULTS: Aberrant up-regulation of miR-181d-5p and altered expression of trophoblast fusion makers, including glial cell missing 1 (GCM1), Syncytin1 (Syn1), and E-cadherin (ECAD), were found in human FGR placentas. A down-regulation of miR-181d-5p expression was observed in the FSK-induced BeWo cell fusion model. Transfection of the miR-181d-5p mimic resulted in the inhibition of BeWo cell fusion, characterized by a down-regulation of GCM1 and Syn1, accompanied by an up-regulation of ECAD. Conversely, the miR-181d-5p inhibitor promoted BeWo cell fusion. Furthermore, miR-181d-5p exhibited negative regulation of CREBRF, which was significantly down-regulated in the hypoxia-induced BeWo cell model. The overexpression of CREBRF was effectively ameliorated the impaired BeWo cell fusion induced by hypoxia. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that miR-181d-5p, which is elevated in FGR placenta, inhibited the BeWo cell fusion through negatively regulating the expression of CREBRF.

The roles of ADAMDEC1 in trophoblast differentiation during normal pregnancy and preeclampsia.

Human cytotrophoblast (CTB) differentiation into syncytiotrophoblast (STB) is essential for placental formation and function. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in trophoblast differentiation is necessary as it would help in the development of novel therapeutic agents to treat placentation-mediated pregnancy complications. In this study, we found a common upregulated gene, ADAM-like Decysin-1 (ADAMDEC1), from five published microarray and RNA-sequencing datasets. Interference to ADAMDEC1 impaired forskolin-induced BeWo cells differentiation, while ADAMDEC1 overexpression promoted BeWo cells and 3D JEG-3 spheroids differentiation. Interestingly, ADAMDEC1 may inhibit Thrombospondin 1 rather than E-cadherin to trigger the activation of the cAMP signal pathway during CTB differentiation into STB. More importantly, a decreasing in ADAMDEC1 might be involved in the development of preeclampsia. Therefore, ADAMDEC1 is expected to become a new target for prediction of and intervention in placenta-derived pregnancy diseases.

WGCNA and molecular docking reveal key hub genes and potential natural inhibitor in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The etiology and treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome are still controversial. The purpose of this study is to determine the key genes and specific regulatory pathways related to it and to find potential drug-active components through integrated bioinformatics. METHODS: The data set GSE11783 was downloaded from GEO database. The modules significantly related to interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome were identified by weighted correlation network analysis. The genes in the key modules were analyzed by functional enrichment and protein interaction by Cytoscape software, and finally the core hub genes were screened. Furthermore, the molecular docking verification of active components and key proteins was carried out by using AutoDock Vin software. RESULTS: Among the 14 modules derived from WGCNA, turquoise module had the highest correlation with IC/BPS (r = 0.85, P < 0.001). The genes in the module were mainly enriched in the biological processes such as the interaction between cytokines and cytokine receptors and chemokine signaling pathway. The genes in the related modules of differentially expressed genes and WGCNA traits were intersected to obtain the core hub genes. Protein-protein interaction network analysis showed that the key genes were upregulated genes CCR7 and CCL19. In terms of molecular docking, triptolide, the active component in the traditional anti-inflammatory drug Tripterygium wilfordii, can form effective molecular binding with both core hub genes. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified the core hub genes CCR7 and CCL19, which acted as essential components in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. Furthermore, CCR7 and CCL19 can form effective binding with triptolide, which will provide new insights into the development of new therapies for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

Comparative analysis of retrograde intrarenal surgery and modified ultra-mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy in management of lower pole renal stones (1.5-3.5 cm).

BACKGROUND: To compare the safety and efficacy of retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) and modified Ultra-mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy (UMP) in semi-supine combined lithotomy position for the management of 1.5-3.5 cm lower pole renal stones (LPSs). METHODS: A total of 63 patients with 1.5-3.5 cm LPSs who underwent RIRS (n = 33) or modified UMP (n = 30) in diameter between January 2017 and January 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. Modified UMP was performed in semi-supine combined lithotomy position and a 9.5/11.5 F ureteral access sheath (UAS) was inserted during the procedure in order to maintain low pelvic pressure and to facilitate the removal of stone fragments. Base-line parameters, stone characteristics, illness condition, operation time, postoperative hemoglobin (Hb) drop, postoperative creatinine (Cr) elevation, length of hospital stay, length of postoperative hospital stay, stone-free rate (SFR) and complications were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in base-line parameters, stone characteristics and illness condition. The mean operating time of RIRS group was longer than UMP group (95.61 ± 21.9 vs. 55.0 ± 16.1 min, p < 0.001). The mean postoperative Hb drop was less in RIRS group (7.42 ± 4.7 vs. 15.70 ± 9.8 g/L, p < 0.001). The length of hospital stay and postoperative hospital stay for RIRS were shorter than UMP (4.76 ± 1.1 vs. 5.83 ± 0.8 d, p < 0.001, 2.97 ± 0.9 vs. 4.07 ± 0.9 d, p < 0.001). The Early SFR was higher in UMP group (54.5 vs. 80.0%, p < 0.050) while SFR at 1-month and 3-months postoperatively was similar in both groups (p = 0.504, p = 0.675). There were no significant differences between the two groups in complications (p = 0.228). CONCLUSION: For patients with 1.5-3.5 cm LPSs, both modified UMP and RIRS are safe and viable. The modified UMP technique was used in this study, application semi-supine combined lithotomy position and the retention of UAS can improve the surgical efficiency and maintain low pressure perfusion in the kidney, which resulted in superior treatment efficacy. Therefore, we highly recommend this technique for LPSs with heavy stone burdens.

Pirarubicin induces an autophagic cytoprotective response through suppression of the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway in human bladder cancer cells.

Pirarubicin is widely used in intravesical chemotherapy for bladder cancer, but its efficacy is limited due to drug resistance; the mechanism has not been well studied. Emerging evidence shows that autophagy can be a novel target for cancer therapy. This study aimed to investigate the role of autophagy in pirarubicin-treated bladder cancer cells. Bladder cancer cells EJ and J82 were treated with pirarubicin, siRNA, 3-methyladenine or hydroxychloroquine. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were tested by cell survival assay and flow cytometric analysis, respectively. Autophagy was evaluated by immunoblotting before and after the treatments. The phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin, serine/threonine kinase p70 S6 kinase, and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 were also investigated by immunoblotting. We found that pirarubicin could induce autophagy in bladder cancer cells. Inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine, hydroxychloroquine or knockdown of autophagy related gene 3 significantly increased apoptosis in pirarubicin-treated bladder cancer cells. Pirarubicin-induced autophagy was mediated via the mTOR/p70S6K/4E-BP1 signaling pathway. In conclusion, autophagy induced by pirarubicin plays a cytoprotective role in bladder cancer cells, suggesting that inhibition of autophagy may improve efficacy over traditional pirarubicin chemotherapy in bladder cancer patients.

NOTCH1 signaling promotes chemoresistance via regulating ABCC1 expression in prostate cancer stem cells.

Chemotherapy is a strategy for patients with advanced prostate cancer, especially those with castration-resistant prostate cancer. Prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) are believed to be the origin of cancer recurrence following therapy intervention, including chemotherapy. The mechanisms underlying the chemoresistance of PCSCs are still poorly understood. In the present study, fluorescence-activated cell sorting was used to isolate PCSCs from LNCaP and PC3 cell lines. 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide was used to measure the cell viability. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting were utilized to evaluate the mRNA and protein levels. ShRNA was employed to knock down target gene expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was performed to explore the detailed mechanism underlying ABCC1 expression. Our results revealed that the sorted PCSCs showed enhanced chemoresistance ability than matched non-PCSCs. Protein level of activated form of NOTCH1(ICN1) was significantly higher in PCSCs. Inhibition of NOTCH1 with shRNA could decrease ABCC1 expression, and improve chemosensitivity in PCSCs. Finally, ChIP-PCR showed ICN1 could directly bind to the promoter region of ABCC1. In conclusion, NOTCH1 signaling could transactivate ABCC1, resulting in higher chemoresistance ability of PCSCs, which might be one of the important mechanisms underlying the chemoresistance of PCSCs.

Generating Synthetic Electronic Health Record Data Using Generative Adversarial Networks: Tutorial.

Synthetic electronic health record (EHR) data generation has been increasingly recognized as an important solution to expand the accessibility and maximize the value of private health data on a large scale. Recent advances in machine learning have facilitated more accurate modeling for complex and high-dimensional data, thereby greatly enhancing the data quality of synthetic EHR data. Among various approaches, generative adversarial networks (GANs) have become the main technical path in the literature due to their ability to capture the statistical characteristics of real data. However, there is a scarcity of detailed guidance within the domain regarding the development procedures of synthetic EHR data. The objective of this tutorial is to present a transparent and reproducible process for generating structured synthetic EHR data using a publicly accessible EHR data set as an example. We cover the topics of GAN architecture, EHR data types and representation, data preprocessing, GAN training, synthetic data generation and postprocessing, and data quality evaluation. We conclude this tutorial by discussing multiple important issues and future opportunities in this domain. The source code of the entire process has been made publicly available.